TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- An Auburn offense that looked promising at the start of January hit its lowest point on Tuesday.

Facing off against an Alabama team that ranks second in the SEC in scoring defense, Auburn played more like its horrendous first-half performance against the Crimson Tide the first time than the team that rode a wave of momentum to the win.

Unable to make shots, Auburn's offense turned in its season-low total to drop a 61-43 loss to Alabama, the Tigers' 12th loss in 13 games and the Tigers' lowest point total against Alabama since a 39-37 loss in January of 1949.

"We missed layups, we missed open shots, we missed tip-backs
right at the rim," Auburn head coach Tony Barbee said. "We didn't shoot the ball very well, and we got
good looks."

For the most part, Barbee said, Auburn (9-19, 3-12) stuck to its game plan.

After Josh Wallace and Allen Payne broke open the first meeting between the two teams by getting to the bucket, Auburn wanted to attack the paint, and for the most part, the Tigers got to the rim.

The problem was finishing.

"I thought we attacked the paint fairly well, we got the ball to the
rim," Barbee said. "We probably missed 20 layups tonight. I don't think you can win a game
where you miss 20 layups."

Chris Denson, normally Auburn's best finisher on the drive, was 0-for-5 on the night. Payne was 1-for-5. Other than center Rob Chubb, who finished 6-of-11 and scored a team-high 13 points, Auburn made just 9-of-39 shots, 23.1 percent.

And the Tigers couldn't hit from the outside, either, knocking down just 2-of-15 3-point attempts.

For a team that averaged 75.8 points per game against major-conference opposition in its first five games after the Christmas break, the slump has been baffling.

"If you put a finger on it, it would be easily fixed," Chubb said. "People
just don't hit shots when they're open, people aren't creating how they should
be. Get aggressive. Whenever they go into zone, they're pretty much baiting us
to shoot."

Searching for a way to spark Auburn in this skid, Barbee has gone to quick substitutions, a strategy that can sap a team's momentum.

"If somebody does something wrong on defense, they deserve
to come out," Chubb said. "At the same time, the quick transition of different
players, different combinations, different talents and strengths, it gets hard
to get the chemistry together if, right as you start to get on the run, it's 45
seconds and then a change in the lineup."

Whatever the problems, Auburn's offense hasn't been able to recapture that early-January momentum.

Over their last four games, the Tigers are averaging just 51.5 points.

"You can't miss as many shots as we're missing," Barbee
said. "You're not going to win many games shooting 30 percent."

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